u say that you are not _even_ asleep, it is as much as to say that
you have not even the consolation of being able to sleep; or, better
still, it is precisely the same as telling me that you are getting bored
to death."

"Planchet, you know I am never bored."

"Except to-day and the day before yesterday."

"Bah!"

"Monsieur d'Artagnan, it is a week since you returned here from
Fontainebleau; in other words, you have no longer your orders to issue,
or your men to review and maneuver. You need the sound of guns, drums,
and all that din and confusion; I, who have myself carried a musket, can
easily believe that."

"Planchet," replied D'Artagnan, "I assure you I am not bored the least
in the world."

"In that case, what are you doing, lying there as if you were dead?"

"My dear Planchet, there was, once upon a time, at the siege of
Rochelle, when I was there, when you were there, when we both were
there, a certain Arab, who was celebrated for the manner in which he
adjusted culverins. He was a clever fellow, although very singular with
regard to his complexion, which was the same color as your olives. Well,
this Arab, whenever he had done eating or working, used to sit down to
rest himself, as I am resting myself now, and smoked I cannot tell you
what sort of magical leaves, in a large amber-mouthed tube; and if any
officer, happening to pass, reproached him for being always asleep, he
used quietly to reply: 'Better to sit down than to stand up, to lie down
than to sit down, to be dead than to lie down.' He was a very melancholy
Arab, and I remember him perfectly well, from his color and his style of
conversation. He used to cut off the heads of the Protestants with
extreme satisfaction."

"Precisely; and then used to embalm them, when they were worth the
trouble."

"Yes; and when he was engaged in his embalming occupations, with his
herbs and other plants about him, he looked like a basket-maker making
baskets."

"You are quite right, Planchet; he did so."

"Oh, I can remember things very well at times!"

"I have no doubt of it; but what do you think of his mode of
reasoning?"

"I think it very good in one sense, and stupid in another."

"Propound your meaning, M. Planchet."

"Well, monsieur, in point of fact, then, 'better to sit down than to
stand up' is plain enough, especially when one may be fatigued under
certain circumstances:" and Planchet smiled in a roguish way. "As for
'better to be lying do